Measuring dispensers for roll film



July 10,' 1962 H. o. SCHUETZE 3,043,012

MEASURING DISPENSERS FOR ROLL FILM Filed June 3, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mmvrom HILMAR O. SCHUETZE ATTORNEYS.

July 10, 1962 H. o. SCHUETZE MEASURING DISPENSERS FOR ROLL FILM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 3, 1960 INVENTOR. HILMAR O. SCHUETZE Y E N R O T T A YM United States Patent 3,043,012 MEASURING DISFENSERS FOR ROLL FILM Hiimar 0. Schuetze, Great Lakes Stamping 8: Mfg. Co., Inc., 2500 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, Ill. Filed June 3, 1960, Ser. No. 33,814 7 (Ilaims. (Cl. 33-129) My invention relates to the cutting of sheets from roll film for the packaging of foods and the like, and more particularly to means for measuring the length to which the sheets are to be cut. The handling of films known as polyethylene, Saran, Mylar, etc. is a delicate matter, and one object of the present invention therefore is to provide a machine which accommodates the supply of the film in roll form and incorporates a measuring device which operates as the film is drawn by hand to measure the desired length at which a sheet is severed from the supply in the machine.

A further object is to include means in the measuring device to reset it automatically after each sheet is cut ofi.

Another object is to include a mechanism in the measuring device which is easily adjustable to change the length of the sheets to be'cut from one job to the next, as may be prescribed.

An important object is to design a machine for the above purpose which is compact in size and simple in construction.

A better understanding of the invention may be Igained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the machine as seen from the front and left-hand sides;

FIG. 2 is a front view on a reduced scale;

FIG. 3 is an end view from the left-hand side of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are similar views, showing changes of position;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 77 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 8 is a highly-magnified interior view taken from the line 8-8 of FIG. 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the frame of the novel dispenser is essentially composed of a pair of standards and 16 formed with outward flanges 17 at the bottom, such flanges being perforated at 17a for the ap plication of bolts (not shown) to fasten the dispenser on a counter or other support. The standards 15 and 16 are held together by an upper cross-rod 19 and lower crossrods 20, these being suitably secured to the standards.

The sheet material 22 made available in the dispenser is carried by a supply roll 23 mounted on a shaft 24. In order that the supply roll may be positioned at an elevation from the mechanism of the dispenser, the standards 15 and 16 are built out with bosses 15a and 16a from which sturdy rods 25 project in upward direction, the upper ends of these rods being rounded as indicated at 25a. As seen in FIG. 1, the end portions of the supply roll shaft 24 are made with perforations 24a, and these are spaced equally with the vertical rods 25 and designed to receive the same as shown in FIG. 1 in sliding relation. The roll 22 of sheet material is thus floatingly mounted in the dispenser.

A friction roll 30 is situated between the standards 15 and 16 underneath the sheet material roll 22 in a position to support the same, the friction roll preferably being made of rough-surfaced rubber. It is suspended from a pair of arms 32 pivoted at their upper ends to the inner side of the standards 15 and 16 as indicated at 32a. The shaft 30a of the friction roll 30 is journaled in the lower ends of the arms 32 and projects into spacious openings 15b and 16b in the standards 15 and 16, this indicating that the friction roll has a limited amount of swinging "ice latitude between front and rear positions because of the room afforded in the standards by their openings 15b and 16b.

FIG. 4 shows that the sheet material from the roll 22 is trained behind the friction roll 30 to wrap over the same as shown at 22a, and continue under the same to emerge in front, as shown at 22b. Here the sheet extends over a guide plate 35 from which it may be drawn over a rod 37 of angular cross-section. This rod is heated from an electric current lead 38, and the property of the sheet material is such that holding it over a sharp edge of the rod 37 will cause the sheet to be severedalong said edge from the effect of heat. On the way to the rod 37 the sheet is held down by a long coil spring 40; and the front edge of the guide plate 35 has recesses 35a near the sides for the access of the fingers of an attendant to pull a further length of the sheet material out to the severing zone.

It is noted that the guide plate 35 has upward flanges 35c at the sides which occur along the inner sides of the standards 15 and 16; and the flanges are pivoted at the rear to the respective standards as indicated at 35b. The standard 15 has a lug 15c from which a drawspring 42 extends to hook into the front edge of the guide plate 35, as shown in FIG. 7. Thus, the guide plate is normally held at an incline as shown in the same figure. However, when sheet material is to be drawn from the roll 22 and held down on the severing rod 37, then the downpull'on the sheet material will cause the 'guide plate 35 to swing in downward direction to a position such as shown in FIG. 5. Because of the heat of the rod 37, it would be dangerous to pull a new length of sheet material from the guide plate 35 as positioned in FIG. 5, after the initial part of the sheet material has been severed from the remainder. Consequently, as mentioned above, the guide plate will automatically swing back to a position raised from the rod 37 when the remainder is no longer under the pulling influence, so that the sheet material over the recesses 35a may be safely engaged in order to pull a new length thereof to the severing zone.

The standard 15 is developed outwardly with a circular casing 45 which is extended to the rear with a pocket 46. The latter is open-as seen in FIG. lbut the casing 45 receives a circular closure plate 48. The latter is formed with a hub 48a to be journaled on a fixed center shaft 45a of the casing 45; and the plate 48 has a projecting stud 4812 by means of which the plate may be rotated on the shaft 45a.

The shaft 30a of the fritcion roll 30 passes through the standard opening 15b into the pocket 46 to receive a gear pinion 50. As seen in FIG. 8, the shaft 45a carries a large spur gear 52. The pinion 50 is fast on the shaft 30a, while the gear 52 is rotatable on the stationary casing shaft 45a; and the pinion is normally spaced from the gear as indicated by full lines in FIG. 8.

- Since the main purpose of the present improvement is to feed the sections drawn from the sheet material at a desired length, means for this purpose are provided in the casing 45. Thus, when the sheet material is drawn in forward direction, it pulls on the friction roll 30 with the effect of engaging the pinion 50 with the spur gear 52. Now the latter is in rotation as the sheet is drawn upon until a stud 53 carried by the gear meets a stop lug 48c projecting from the inner side of the plate 48.

The original position of the gear 52 is determined by a block 55 which is carried by the standardlS and rises into the casing 45 from the bottom. A spiral spring 57 is located behind the gear 52, one end of the spring being secured on a gear pin 52a, while the other is secured by a casing screw 45b. The effect of the spring is to draw on the gear in clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 8, so that the stud 53 carried by the gear 52 abuts the block 55, as indicated by the full-line showing in FIG. 8,

and normally maintains the gear in the position shown. Thus, the position of the plat lug 48c determines the limit to which the gear may be turned, as indicated by the dotted-line showing of the stud 53 in the same figure.

The plate 48 isengraved with a circular scale 48d, preferably markedin terms of inches. A clamp 62, cooperative with the block 55 has an origin mark'62a meeting theplate scale 48d. Registrationof number 6 on the latterwith the origin mark 62a is an indication that the length of the sheets drawn from the material roll 22 is six inches. Slightly relaxing the clamp 62 by means of a thumb screw '63 will make it possible for the plate to be turned to a. different number for changing the length of the sheet accordingly.

When the sheet is being drawn to the measured length as just described, the friction roll presents resistance not only by gravity, but also by drawing on a spring 65 extending from the standard-15, as seen in FIG. 7. However, when the sheet is severed by the edge of the heated rod 37, the remainder of the material is no longer under pulling influence, and is drawn back a short distancefrom the rod edge to the frontal guide plate edgeby the return of the friction roll 30 to its original position. This moveemnt carries the pinion 50 out of operative e11- gagement with the gear 52. At this moment the spring 57 will be free to unwind and rotate the gear 52 in a direction reverse from its previous rotation, so that its stud 53 is carried back from the dotted line in FIG. 8 to the full-line one in the same figure, restoring the parts to their original positions. It follows now that grasping and drawing the sheet in the zones of the guide plate recesses 35a will repeat the operation described above and procure a new length of the material. While the material severing element is shown as a heated rod, a cutter of any suitable design may be substituted for the same, where the material is thicker plastic, paper or cloth.

It will now be apparent that the novel dispenser, while operable by hand, functions to all intents and purposes as a machine. This is true because all operations of the device are automatic as long as the manual drawing of the sheet material is in process. .Further, no other opera tion or attention is required of the attendant. Further, the'manual approach is only in front and between the standards 15 and 16, so that there is no risk of getting the fingers caught in gears, between rollers, or in other parts of the mechanism. Further, only the sheet material is handled by the attendant, so that the fingers cannot become soiled by contact with machine parts. the material supply roll is independently disposed and in a position for easy mounting and removal. Finally, the device is of compact design and of simple and sturdy construction. j

While I have described the invention along specific lines, various minor changes or refinements may be made therein without departing from its principle, and 'I reserve the right to employ all such changes and refinements as may'com'e within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim: I

'1. A measuring device for sheet material designed to be drawn from a supply source, comprising a rotary roll for guiding the material from the supply source toward a point where the material is drawn, a unit rotatable from a point of origin to an extent corresponding to the length to which the material is to be measured, the roll being suspended for pivotal movement and swingable from its normal position toward said unit when the material is drawn, and a gearing putting the roll in to rotary connection with said unit in such event, whereby to dispense the material to a length corresponding to said extent.

2. A measuring device for sheet material designed to be drawn from a supply source, comprising a rotary roll for guiding the material from the supply source toward a point where the material is drawn, a unit rotatable from a point of origin to an extent corresponding to the length to which the material is to be measured, the roll being suspended for pivotal movement and swingable from its normal position toward said unit when the material is drawn, a backstop for the normal position of the roll, yieldable means drawing the roll to the backstop, the roll moving toward said unit when the material is drawn, and a gearing puttingthe roll into rotary connection with said unit in such event, whereby to dispense the material to a length corresponding to said extent.

3. A measuring device for sheet material designed to be drawn from a supply source, comprising a roll for guiding the material from the supply source toward a point where the material is drawn, the roll carrying a pinion, a gear rotatable from a position of origin to an extent corresponding to the length to which the material is to be measured, the roll being mounted to advance and mesh its pinion with the gear when the material is drawn and to recede and unrnesh the pinion when the material is no longer drawn, and other means turning the gear back to its position of origin in such event.

4. The structure of claim 3, said other means comprising a casing for the gear, and a spiral spring connected between the casing. and the gear.

5. A measuring device for sheet material designed to be drawn from a supply source comprising a roll for guiding the material from the supply source toward a point where the material is drawn, a unit operative to rotate with the roll to an extentdispensing a prescribed length of the material as the latter is drawn, a material severing device in the region where the material is drawn, a guide for the material at a point before the severing device and directing the material to bypass the same, and means disposing the guide for movement to aline the material with the severing device when the material' is drawn accordingly.

6. A measuring device for sheet material designed to be' drawn from a supply source comprising a roll for guiding the material from the supply source toward a point where the material is drawn, a unit operative to rotate with the roll to an extent dispensing a prescribed length Further,

of the material as the latter is drawn, a material severing device in the region where the material is drawn, a guide for the material at a point before the severing device and directing the material with an upward slant to by-pass the severing device, a support, and means pivoting the guide to the support for downward movement to aline the material with the severing device when the material is drawn accordingly.

' 7. The structure of claim 6, said guide being pivoted at the rear and having a frontal edge formed with laterallys'paced recesses for finger-grip access to the material for drawing a new length thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 15, 1958 

